Thailand political crisis costs Cambodia $1 mil. a day in tourism loss

PHNOM PENH , Nov. 29 KYODO

The ongoing political crisis in Thailand is costing Cambodia some $1 million a day in lost tourism revenue, Cambodian Tourism Association President Ho Vandy said Saturday. Antigovernment protesters in Thailand have occupied Bangkok 's Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports, and three airlines -- Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia -- have canceled 10 daily flights between Cambodia and Thailand .

Echoing the revenue loss in Cambodia 's tourism sector, Sathol Miura, head of the Japanese travel agency APEX in Cambodia , said the cancellations of international flights through Thailand are affecting hotels, guesthouses, tourist guides, taxi drivers and restaurants in Cambodia .

But Miura said the unrest in Thailand has had little impact on Japanese tourists traveling on APEX tours to Cambodia , saying they normally fly to Cambodia through Vietnam . ''Some 65 percent of Japanese tourists come to Cambodia through Vietnam ,'' he said. Miura said more than 2,000 Japanese tourists have visited Cambodia on APEX tours in November, a figure comparable to previous years.

KyodoNovember 29, 2008